In preparation for Infinity War, we’ve decided (probably like a lot of people) to rewatch the entirely of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We’re going to watch them sequentially as they were released, so will anything have changed from 2008 to 2018?

Iron Man was, of course, the first of the Marvel films. It set the tone for the films being full of action but also fun and silly. Like Iron Man falling out of the sky when he escapes from the group that has captured him.

The bad

1. You can sense that if Iron Man was made today, they may have toned down Tony’s womanising behaviour and outrageous flirting. It’s a bit…over-egged. While it does help show his character growth, it is relatively unpleasant now. As well, I know Pepper and him work things out, but the whole handing her a coffee cup and all that. Anyway, it doesn’t really endear you to Stark as a character.
2. How does he have that big a hole that big in his chest? Did it like replace his heart? How did he get that stainless steel tube in his chest? How does she know how to turn it to put it back in? I understand the need for it because the end of the film, but it is silly. Still, fucking cool glowy thing.
3. The man in the desert with the wound on his head. SURELY HE WOULD NOT WANT SAND IN HIS WOUND? Put some bloody bandages on.
4. Obadiah’s motivation. He makes a great enemy, but at the same time the motivation seems a bit weak. Maybe this is what sets off the whole weak villain’s issue in the entire MCU. But there are still some good scenes – for example when he paralyses Tony and takes his Arc – soooo evil.
5. “But you’ll die!” is probably the most terribly delivered line. In general, I quite enjoyed most of Pepper Potts scenes but that was just a bit melodramatic.

The good

You forget how good the whole sequence with Tony being captured is – and how him escaping really sets up Tony as a character. It’s good at putting into perspective how Tony Stark is that talented and intelligent. Also glowy thing.

However, I refuse to believe he wouldn’t have known that his weapons would fall into the wrong hands or that he would call a press conference and immediately announce they’d stop creating weapons.

I think they do the world building for the type of advanced tech we’ll start to see more of as the Marvel films progress. All of Tony’s fabulous tech, the hologram type stuff, the Arc reactor it sets the scene for the more incredible things we’ll see further along the line. Also, I just love all the chat with his shop help and also with Jarvis. You’re willing to suspend disbelief that he can think of, build and then operate something like the Iron Man suit in such a short period of time.

Agent Coulson. I mean, he gets ruined a bit Agents of SHIELD, but the beginning films, he’s a wonderful, consistent link. And Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury was brilliant, even as a post-credit sequence. Though, you wish he was used better over all in the MCU. I almost wish there was a Nick Fury film.

The plotting and is so very efficient. Not a person is introduced or something mentioned that isn’t reused somewhere later. For example, the motivation for Stark putting on the Iron Man suit and going to attack the people who had kidnapped him. We knew Gulmira because of the captivity scene and it is a plausible reason for Stark to get pissed off enough to go after them. Even the same reporter who he sleeps with at the beginning of the film is re-used twice as she’s established as “reporter person”.

But overall, I think what it absolutely nails is the tone. It’s fun and furious. But not dour and horrible like the DCU films. It doesn’t have to take itself too seriously all the time and simply doesn’t. And that is an abiding influence in the rest of the MCU – and a good one at that.